U.S. President Donald J. Trump has again condemned the ongoing killings of Christians in Nigeria, vowing that his administration will not stand idly by while what he described as “mass persecution” continues.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday upon his return to Washington, Trump reaffirmed his earlier warnings to the Nigerian government, saying he is “not going to allow” the violence against Christians to continue unchecked.
“They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria, and we have other countries that are very bad also — you know that part of the world, very bad,” Trump said.
“They’re killing the Christians, and killing them in very large numbers. I’m not going to allow that to happen.”
Trump’s latest comments follow his explosive remarks on Saturday, where he threatened possible military intervention in Nigeria and the suspension of all foreign aid if the government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.”
In a fiery post on his social media platform, the U.S. President accused Nigerian authorities of turning a blind eye to what he called “mass atrocities against Christians,” vowing that the United States was ready to act decisively.
“If Nigeria does not halt the persecution of Christians, I may send U.S. troops guns-a-blazing to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote.
He added that he had already directed the Pentagon to prepare for possible military action.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet — just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians,” Trump declared.
The statement came less than 24 hours after Trump formally reclassified Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” — a diplomatic move that could pave the way for sanctions and restrictions on military or financial aid.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump had said earlier on Friday.
The Nigerian government has since dismissed Trump’s allegations, describing them as exaggerated and unreflective of the realities on the ground. It reiterated that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees religious freedom and that the Tinubu administration remains committed to protecting citizens of all faiths.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” the Presidency said in a statement on Saturday.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 220 million people, remains deeply divided along religious and ethnic lines — roughly split between Christians and Muslims. In the country’s northern region, extremist groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have waged a decade-long insurgency, targeting churches, mosques, schools, and security forces.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, drawing global condemnation and increasing international pressure on Nigeria’s government to restore stability.
Analysts say Trump’s remarks represent a sharp escalation in rhetoric that could strain diplomatic relations between Washington and Abuja. Some U.S. security experts warn that unilateral military intervention could destabilize an already fragile region, while others argue that the statement underscores Washington’s growing frustration with Nigeria’s handling of its internal security crisis.
Despite the controversy, Trump’s statements have reignited debate over religious persecution in Africa and the role of the United States in defending global human rights.
For now, all eyes remain on Washington — and Abuja — as tensions rise between both nations amid Trump’s vow that “America will not stand by while Christians are slaughtered.”
